Emma Maitland Stirling, if she is known at all in Nova Scotia, is known for her child migration work in the province between 1886 and 1895. Yet, her last years here have not been fully explored and her work with the Maritime Woman's Christian Temperance Union has been completely overlooked.
Emma Stirling's efforts with the WCTU were about combating the possibility of moral decay in Nova Scotia society. Particularly important at times, was combating this apparent moral decay in the young of the world. In 1895 this work with the WCTU would converge for Stirling with her child migration work. The Parker and Miller abortion trial, Stirling's last engagement in Nova Scotia, must be re-envisioned as an extension of Stirling's WCTU work. By defending Grace Fagan, a grown child migrant, Stirling believed she was defending all the young of Nova Scotia society, local or transplanted, from moral degradation.

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